Misbah welcomes fitness-based central contracts

KARACHI- The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) plan to introduce fitness-based central contracts for the cricketers received a thumbs-up from captain Misbah-ul-Haq who believes the team will reap its benefit in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The PCB is set to introduce the new contracts from this year with a penalty-and-point system to up the fitness level of a side not really known for their athleticism on the field.

"It is a constructive step because the better the fitness of the players, the more they will be able to endure pressure and perform consistently well," test and one-day captain Misbah told journalists in Lahore today.

Misbah said with better fitness levels, Pakistani players would improve their fielding standards which would be instrumental in matches leading up to the World Cup 2015.